Hosea 3

Hosea 3:1

GO yet] For a signe that God had often renewed his covenant with his people, forgiving them their sinnes which were past: as in speciall under Jehu his reigne, 2 King. 9. & 10. Chap.

love a woman] This must also be understood the same way, and in the same sense, as Chap. 1. 2.

flagons] He intimates their dissolute manner of living, which is the ordinarie companion of idolatrie: See Exodus 32:6. 1 Corinthians 10:7. even as corporall fornication draws gluttonie and drunkennesse along with it.

of wine] Heb. of grapes.

Hosea 3:2

I bought her to me] He hath relation to the ancient custome, by which husbands did bestow dowries upon their wives, or purchase them, Genesis 29:18. 27. and 34. 12. 1 Samuel 18:25. His first wife, Chap. 1. 2, 3. cost him nothing; for the parable taketh Israel, as it then was, when he began to prophecie: But this wife cost him money and corn; for the delivery of the people out of Babel, mystically typifying the deliverance of the Church from spirituall captivitie, was a purchase, and came not for nought. See Isaiah 43:24. Ephesians 5:25.

for fifteene pieces of silver] These following rates have reference to the value and estimation of all the men of Israel according to their severall ages: for those above sixtie years old money was given; for all the rest barley. It is thus named in parts, that we might be the sooner led to observe how it alludeth to the law, Levit. 27. as also to denote the redemption and salvation of some of all ages. The fifteene shekels is the valuation of him that was above sixty years old, Levit. 27. ver. 7. The homer of barley, whose rate was fiftie shekels, vers. 16. was his value that was between twenty and sixty, vers. 3. The halfe homer, which was rated accordingly at five and twenty shekels, was for him that was between five years and twenty years, old twenty shekels; and for him that was between a moneth old and five years, five shekels, vers. 5, 6.

halfe-homer of barley] Heb. lethech.

Hosea 3:3

And I said unto her] Namely, after she had gone astray.

abide for me many dayes] Deuteronomy 21:13. I will separate thee from me for some time, keeping thee as it were shut up, to hinder thy unstayednesse: untill I take thee to me againe, as I intend to do, not putting thee away for ever.

Hosea 3:4

For the children of Israel] By this figure I will have thee to set forth the state of thy people, which for their idolatries shall be separated from the grace & communion of their God without any kingdome or forme of common-wealth: and without any exercise of religion, unlesse of idolatrie, untill the time of their conversion to God by the Gospel.

many dayes without a king] From the sixt yeare of Hezekiahs reign, when Salmanasser carried away the ten Tribes, untill Christ by his death and resurrection conquered the enemies of mans salvation, and was constituted the King of his Church, were years six hundred seventy five.

an image] Heb. a standing, or statue.

ephod] The name of a Priestly garment, Exodus 28:4. under which is comprehended all the service of the Church.

teraphim] Exodus 28:4. Genesis 31:19.

Hosea 3:5

David their king] The Messias, Davids sonne according to the flesh. See Jeremiah 30:9. Ezek. 34. 23, 24. In whom Davids kingdome according to promise was eternall, Psalms 72:17.

latter dayes] Isaiah 2:2.